Rotorua lawyer promoted to judge

By ABIGAIL CASPARI in Rotorua
Crown Solicitor John McDonald is continuing what he describes as a "fine tradition" for his law firm.

He is the third Crown Solicitor from Davys Burton to become a judge.

He follows in the footsteps of Lindsay Moore who was appointed a district court judge in 1985 and Pat Savage who became a Maori Land Court judge in 1994.

The 53-year-old is the second Rotorua lawyer this year to join the bench. Rotorua solicitor Jan Walker was appointed as a family court judge in January.

Mr McDonald will be sworn in at the end of the month. He will sit mainly in the Whangarei District Court but will also preside in courts in Kaikohe, Dargaville and Kaitaia.

He admits he is going into "new territory" despite spending most of his working life in the court room.

As well as overseeing the work of seven other Crown prosecutors, Mr McDonald has prosecuted in more than 1000 jury trials and judge-alone cases.

The trials have included at least 60 for murder - 85 percent of which he has secured guilty verdicts for murder or manslaughter.

One of his biggest achievements was securing guilty verdicts for the men accused of murdering Reporoa woman Beverly Bouma.

Another achievement has been working on the extradition of Pitcairn Islanders to face sex charges because it has involved complex factual and legal issues.

A highlight of his time in Rotorua has been working with some of the city's top defence lawyers including the late Mike Bungay, QC, the late Mike Quirke, Louis Bidois, who is now a judge and those still practising in the city John Chadwick, Harry Edward and Murray McKechnie.

"It's with some sadness that I leave Rotorua. It's a fine city. I'll miss the people. I'll miss the recreational opportunities - mountainbiking in the Redwood Forest and at Waipa."

Although he has enjoyed being the Crown Solicitor for Rotorua, he realised earlier this year he needed a new challenge.

He is not sure how he will cope with being a judge or how tough he will be in his new role.

"I have no idea. Interview me in a year's time."

At this stage he is not nervous about the job but admits it might be a different story as his first day draws near.

Mr McDonald also resigns as chairman of the Board of Trustees at Lynmore Primary School.

He will move to Whangarei with his wife Gabriela and their two children John and Alex.

Rotorua defence lawyer Harry Edward has no doubts his colleague, with whom he has come head to head in many trials, will make an excellent judge.

"Mr McDonald's departure will be a significant loss for Rotorua but a huge gain for the Whangarei District Court.

"He will be very difficult to replace in terms of his experience and personal qualities."

Deputy Solicitor General Nicola Crutchley said the appointment of a new Rotorua Crown Solicitor could take some months. Until then the other seven Crown prosecutors at Davys Burton would share the workload.